The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-29
Gke Q,tfelliIq)I,e|:tal.':le':rj;.,.
waEELtSa.w W. Va, SEPTEMBER 30. 1887
This Local Situation

With every uenlre 70 Do entirely Courte.
ous to cur friend, "Cold Short" We
must say that his communication IN
to.dsy's issue has moro length than
either breadth or thickness. He refera to
present blockade Of freight around our
depo.s as proof that We are suffering Tor
another outlet by rail to the West or
South. .., * gl+.n VA
Zone swallow does not make sum.
NOR" and no more does the temporary
b,iakneea in receipts or shipments at the
two principal railroad depo!s Of the city
prove what lie originally affirmed in
regard to our suffering condition for lack
Of another line Of road. Itit..proves any,
thing It Is only that our present depot &C.
commodations arc Too restricted. The
lines in exiatence have no difficulty as o
rule in handling oil the freight offered
them here or arriving here, and they could,
nino.tcnths Of the time, 80 far as car facili.
tea arc concerned, handle very much
moro than they get.
The objsct we had in view was not TO
combat the building,o as many more
lines to Wheeling az anybody may be
willing to construct. We arc Just US
friendly 10 railroads as anybody else.
Bat, by comparison with other needs, It
lB not lack OF railroad facilities that We
are suffering from at all, We have point.
cd out that We are juat aa we'll of as
Pittsburgh in respect to railroads, and
this is sayins enough on that head. But
VIC are no. 90 well of as Pittsburgh in the
mstter of cheap coke. Her msnuiactur-
ers not only have a. large interest in tho
production OF coke, but being nearer to
thu source OF supply they get cheaper
rate Of freight. This. ia profit that
Whesliugvery much needs in her struggle
at this time to compete in the production
OF nails and soft steel. Unless she does get
cheaper raw material, both coke and ore,
her situation will become critical. Ard
all the money she spends at q time like
! this on railroads OF railroad bridges will
simply add to tho burdens OF her iron in
tersst and not reach the real ailme1t at
all. II. .a5 =, IA. 81
Our principal industry has been dan
Rerously hurt by the wire nail. We have
got to get cheaper coke and cheaper ore
in order to make the Bsesemer iron, out
.ofwhich our steel nails are made, as cheap
as any body else can makeis. Unless We
do this wo will soon realize that we have
railroads enough for all our wants.
And, further, We have got to get justice
at the hands Of Congress az respects such
a modification Of tho tariff as will not pro-
tect steel rails at our expense, making
them the great monopolizera Of Besacmer
ores at fancy prices because Of their better
protection. The manufacturers OF soft
steel will demand that II Congress will not
advance the tariff on: billets, slabs, ingots,
&C., to protective point that thoy shall
likewise reduce the tariff on steel rails to
point that will assure cheaper ore 10
all consumers Of it and prevent q monop-
oily Of 1t By one class Of preferred manu-.
factureIs. 4. ..iaS a,
as to chcape. coke, that is a matter that
a proper degree Of enterprise and energy
eau q. less! partially rectity, and We are
glad to know that attention ID already
turned in proper direction. 1t will pay
Wheeling much better to spend money
for cheaper raw material than to wasts it
on railroad wanta that are not wanta at
all by comparison with our real needs.